CV Writing Tips

1. Know the purpose of your CV

Some people write a resume as if the purpose of the document was to land a job.
As a result they end up with a really long and boring piece that makes them look
like desperate job hunters. The objective of your resume is to land an interview,
and the interview will land you the job (hopefully!).

2. Back up your qualities and strengths

Instead of creating a long (and boring) list with all your qualities (e.g., disciplined,
creative, problem solver) try to connect them with real life and work experiences.
In other words, you need to back these qualities and strengths up, else it will
appear that you are just trying to inflate things.

3. Make sure to use the right keywords

Most companies (even smaller ones) are already using digital databases to search
for candidates. This means that the HR department will run search queries based
on specific keywords. Guess what, if your resume doesn’t have the keywords related
to the job you are applying for, you will be out even before the game starts.

4. Use effective titles

Like it or not, employers will usually make a judgment about your resume in 5 seconds.
Under this time frame the most important aspect will be the titles that you listed
on the resume, so make sure they grab the attention. Try to be as descriptive as
possible, giving the employer a good idea about the nature of your past work experiences.
For example:Bad title: Accounting>Good title: Management of A/R and A/P and Recordkeeping

5. Proofread it twice

It would be difficult to emphasize the importance of proofreading your resume. One
small typo and your chances of getting hired could slip. Proofreading it once is
not enough, so do it twice, three times or as many as necessary.

6. Use bullet points

No employer will have the time (or patience) to read long paragraphs of text. Make
sure, therefore, to use bullet points and short sentences to describe your experiences,
educational background and professional objectives.

7. Where are you going?

Including professional goals can help you by giving employers an idea of where you
are going, and how you want to arrive there. You don’t need to have a special section
devoted to your professional objectives, but overall the resume must communicate
it. The question of whether or not to highlight your career objectives on the resume
is a polemic one among HR managers, so go with your feeling. If you decide to list
them, make sure they are not generic.

8. Put the most important information first

This point is valid both to the overall order of your resume, as well as to the
individual sections. Most of the times your previous work experience will be the
most important part of the resume, so put it at the top. When describing your experiences
or skills, list the most important ones first.